A decade-old jihadist insurgency in North Sinai province escalated in 2013 when the army overthrew Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. “Between late 2013 and July 2020, the army destroyed at least 12,350 buildings, mostly homes, most recently in the El Arish area,” HRW said. In February 2018, the government launched a nationwide operation against militants, focused on North Sinai. A previous report published by HRW in 2019 detailing “serious abuses” by the army against civilians in North Sinai drew angry denials from Cairo. Dozens of security personnel have been killed in North Sinai since February 2018, according to official figures.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 18, 2021 13:38 UTC